John Christopher Draper (March 31, 1835 – December 20, 1885) was an American

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of ...

and surgeon. He was a son of multidisciplinary scientist

John William Draper John William Draper (May 5, 1811 – January 4, 1882) was an English polymath: a scientist, philosopher, physician, chemist, historian and photographer. He is credited with pioneering portrait photography (1839–40) and producing the first deta ...

and a brother of astronomer

Henry Draper Henry Draper (March 7, 1837 – November 20, 1882) was an American medical doctor and amateur astronomer. He is best known today as a pioneer of astrophotography. Life and work Henry Draper's father, John William Draper, was an accomplished do ...

Life and work

Draper was born at Christiansville (now

Chase City, Virginia Chase City is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. Chase City was incorporated in 1873 and named for Salmon P. Chase, United States Chief Justice and Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury. The population was 2,053 at the 2020 ce ...

). His father,

, was an accomplished doctor, chemist, astronomer, botanist, and professor at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

. Draper's mother, Antonia Coetana de Paiva Pereira Gardner, was a daughter of the personal physician to the

John VI of Portugal '' Dom'' John VI (; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil ...

and Charlotte of Spain. In 1850–52 Draper took the arts course, and in 1855–57 the medical course, in

, and then studied in Europe. He was professor of natural sciences (1858–60) and of analytical and practical chemistry (1858–71) in New York University, and in 1859 was one of the first instructors of chemistry at the

Cooper Union The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly known as Cooper Union, is a private college on Cooper Square in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-s ...

. On May 31, 1862, he joined S Company, 12th New York Infantry Regiment as an assistant surgeon along with his brother Henry, who joined as a surgeon.Hughes, Stefan
''Catchers of the Light, Volume 1 - Catching Space''
ArtDeCiel Publishing, 2012, pages 546-546. They served until October 8, 1862. From 1863 to 1885 he was professor of physiology and natural history in the College of the City of New York; in 1865–85, professor of chemistry in the medical department of New York University. In 1873 he received the degree of Doctor of Laws from Trinity College. Draper died suddenly, of pneumonia which he caught during a cold winter. He was serving his duties just a few days before death.

Publications

* * * * * * * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Draper, John Christopher 1835 births 1885 deaths American chemists People from Chase City, Virginia Cooper Union faculty New York University faculty Trinity Washington University alumni Deaths from pneumonia in New York City New York University Grossman School of Medicine alumni Scientists from Virginia Union army surgeons